Gangtok, April 11: If a heavy spell of April shower washes away a part of the hillside, the monsoon, which is at least two months away, can mean disaster for the hill state.
Gearing up for a harsh monsoon this year, the civil defence, an organisation in Sikkim for disaster management, is likely to be revamped next month, the district collector (East), Vishal Chauhan, told The Telegraph.
A heavy shower triggered a landslide between the 8th and 9th Mile, 13 km from Gangtok on Monday, an official said. More than 1,000 tourists, mostly from the Chhangu lake, were left stranded as a result and had to be evacuated.
“We will meet next week to revive the civil defence and there will be changes in the sector in-charges and teams. We will chalk out new programmes to make them more effective in managing natural catastrophes,” the district collector said.
Chauhan, who is also the head of the civil defence, said an emergency operation centre has already been set up and it will be equipped with satellite phones, geographical information system (GIS) and Internet.
A 24-hour control room with a toll free number is also being set up for emergency services. The BSNL authorities have been asked to make provisions for the toll free number, a source said.
The Sikkim government has agreed to provide manpower for the round-the-clock duty at the centre. According to Chauhan, under the United Nations Development Programme’s disaster risk management plan, volunteers will be trained and teams will be formed for search and rescue operations. They will be taught how to administer first-aid to catastrophe victims and take them to safe shelters
Gearing up for a harsh monsoon this year, the civil defence, an organisation in Sikkim for disaster management, is likely to be revamped next month, the district collector (East), Vishal Chauhan, told The Telegraph.
A heavy shower triggered a landslide between the 8th and 9th Mile, 13 km from Gangtok on Monday, an official said. More than 1,000 tourists, mostly from the Chhangu lake, were left stranded as a result and had to be evacuated.
“We will meet next week to revive the civil defence and there will be changes in the sector in-charges and teams. We will chalk out new programmes to make them more effective in managing natural catastrophes,” the district collector said.
Chauhan, who is also the head of the civil defence, said an emergency operation centre has already been set up and it will be equipped with satellite phones, geographical information system (GIS) and Internet.
A 24-hour control room with a toll free number is also being set up for emergency services. The BSNL authorities have been asked to make provisions for the toll free number, a source said.
The Sikkim government has agreed to provide manpower for the round-the-clock duty at the centre. According to Chauhan, under the United Nations Development Programme’s disaster risk management plan, volunteers will be trained and teams will be formed for search and rescue operations. They will be taught how to administer first-aid to catastrophe victims and take them to safe shelters
( The Telegraph)
